Passing brown water (in house!)

[malumbu]

My water's all brown. See a doctor? It is the cold water from the tank. The central heating header has overflowed into the main cold water tank depositing some nice brown rust into it.

Over the last day the upstairs rads have become full of air (well actually hydrogen). Yep I will bleed the system add inhibitor etc. I used a chemical flush a couple of months ago to decrud the rads and pipes.

Question I have is why have I suddenly got so much air in the system? Enough to push water up into the header tank till it overflows?

No it is not the pump. No it is not the boiler. It is a DIY fitted system (not me I hasten to add) and has always needed care and attention as heaven knows if the idiot who once owned the house had any ideas of properly installing new pipe work (ie to reduce liklihood of air traps etc).

I am fortunate enough to know a plumber who often tells me how to fix stuff rather than come round and charge me for doing like. Just interested to know if out there amongst you geeks and neeks, there may be some real men (and ladies) who can give me some good advice.

[Huguenot]

I'm wondering if flushing out the iron oxide deposits exposed a hitherto disguised leak?

[malumbu]

The upstairs rads are not pumped. They rely on the natural circualtion of hot water. It used to be a common way of doing things, honest! Why it wasn't changed to a pumped system throughout when an extension was added 25 years ago I haven't a clue. I also inherited home plumbed gas fittings (boom boom as Basil Brush would say) and similarly interesting wiring. National Grid were called in twice to make the former safe.

So there is not a lot of pressure when the CH is working, and the flushing was not done under pressure so I can't see how that would have changed things either. Some pumps suck rather than blow (oooh Mrs), so can suck air into the system. But as said my system is not pumped. The only way I can see my situation happening is by a sudden and rapid increase of corrosion in the system.

I've not found anything on line that is specific to my system (lots on similar situations with more modern CH).

I can see that this issue is really attracting interest in ED!

[ibilly99]

I find Lomotil quites good for that !

[malumbu]

Well it is not corrosion, or by the sound of things a leak (thought it could be the pump sucking air in) but some sort of over-pressure (in an unpressured system). The Lotomil didn't help.

Still brown water and turned the heating off (brrrr)

Suggestions that the chemical flusing may have led to debris that blocked the inlet to the central heating circuit.

Man round tomorrow, who tried to advise me over the phone, but on this occasion time to get someone in.

[computedshorty]

Are you filling plastic bottles and getting rid of them around the streets?

[ibilly99]

Brown water from my ring tra la la la la .......